Bathing suit



June 5, 1928.

)INVENTGFR H. J. KNAPP BATHING SUIT Filed Aug. 8, 1927 feremm ATTORNEY Passed June s, 192s.

I HERBERT INAP?, F AKRON, OHIO'.y

Application iled August 8, 1927. `Serial No. v211,448.

My present invention has reference to a bathing suit primarily designed for use by ladies ai'idwhich suit is preferably formed of rubberized silk or cotton stockinette 'lwhich has an outer facing ot rubber or like soft and elastic vater-p`root material, and my primary object is the provision of a de tachable skirt of the same material as the suit, one piece bathing suits'otthis type lo and wherein the lower or outer edge of the skirt is integrally'formed with an inflatable chamber and valve means for inflating the chamber by the user ot' the suit whereby the skirt may be drawn upwardly over the suit l and the chamber thereof serve as a means y for ouoying the bather in the water in case of fatigue by expert swimmers or as an aid to learners in swimming invention consists in the improvementas hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

lar-the drawings:

Figui-fe l is a perspective view illustrating my improvement in applied position.

Figure 2 is a secti0nal-vew through a portion of the suit approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail vvievv to illustrate the valve construction.

Fig. ais a side elevational view-. of the fastening device, -in section.

The bathing suit 1 is of the one-piece type, and is preferably formed of rubberized silk or cotton stockinette having an outer facing of vrubber or similar watel'l-proo'f material although the said suit may be of thcusual. woven 'or cotton type, ,as my present mvef tion relates to the skirt for the same.

The skirt is preferably=and may have a 40 coating of rubberized material to render the same water-proofQalthough ythe skirt proper may be of the usual woven type.' The skirt at the waist'portion thereofis provided with spacedloops for the passage of the belt 4. the ends of the belt 'being connected by the usual buckle 5. In the showing of the drawings, the water lproof skirt 2 has its lower edge folded upon itself to provide the same with a tubular air chamber '6. The air cham* ber is, of course, constructed of water proofmaterial in the 'event that the same is, not formed upon the skirt of like material. The outer face of the chamber 6, at the center thereof, hasV cemented or otherwise secured thereto a flexible pipe or hose 7. The air passage through this hose is normally closed by the vsaid hose being compressed against the outer face of the chamber through the medium of an elastic strap 8 whoseends are lfixed to the saidouter face of the* chamber and through which strap the hose passed and doubled upon itself after the chamber is inflated. Obviously the expansion of the chanibcr G will stretch the strap so that the hose is compressed againsttheouter wall of the chamber and the passage of air there# through is eifectivel'y prevented. `The strap as disclosed 'by the ldrawings is preferably concealed by a rosette preferably of rubber or rubberized material.' Then the chamber is not inflated the skirt is wornin the usuahmanner but the said skirt is drawn upwardly over the bathing suit to the po'sition shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 of To the attainment ot'.the.i"oregoing the,

the drawings and the hose is brought into .the mouth of the bather for inflating" the chamber (i. The air passage through the hose is sealed in a manner above described so that the chamber 6 is retainedinflated for any desired length of time. l The improvement may be employed by either expert or amateur swimmers or as la. matterof-fact, by beginners and the device not only vprovides a one piece bathing suit with a detachable skirt but serves as an aid to expert swimmers and a life preserver for amateurs as well as a means for teaching beginners the art of'swimming.

Having described the inventiomll claim: l. The combination with a one-pl'ce butin ingsuit, ot a detachable skirttherefor, a belt fastening the skirt around the suit', said skirt having its outer ends provided with a .continuousinflatable chamber, valve means for introducing air from the mouth of the user of the suit into the chamber 'to inflate the same and means carried' by the chamber engageable with such valve means for preventing the passage ot air therethrough.

2. The combination with a onle-piece bathing suit, ofI a detachable skirt therefor, of light water proof material,` said ,Skirt having spaced loops at the waist thereof for the passage of a sustaining belt therethrough, said skirt having its lower edge folded upon itself but cemented or otherwise secured to the inner face of the said skirt to provide an inflatable chamber, and valve means for inlating the chamber. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

,HERBERT J. KNAPP. 

